Production Technology Offerings

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Production Technology Offerings

One-Product-Flow Production System

PeopleFlo’s production technology, called One-Product-Flow (OPF) helps clients leverage the factory floor for enormous competitive advantage. Built solidly on “lean” principles, OPF is a make-to-order production system designed for mass customization of industrial machinery. It is structured as one production cell, that includes high value conversion steps like CNC machining and TIG welding in addition to assembly and test. PeopleFlo’s OPF production technology results in an integrated mini-factory producing one complete product at a time, with all parts produced in single-piece-flow.

Designing individual production cells based lean principles and built around a product line results in big productivity and customer service benefits. But the biggest breakthroughs in production productivity are possible when the focus shifts from making parts and assembling parts to making a complete product in OPF, and the challenge shifts from assemble-to-order to make-to-order in continuous flow. PeopleFlo has demonstrated that a OPF make-to-order production cell, designed and built concurrently with product design, results in big breakthroughs – up to 50% lower cost, 65% less up-front capital and 75% less floor space; and outstanding delivery lead times with relatively low inventory levels.

Lean Production: Part Family or One-Product-Flow

PeopleFlo has the production technology to help clients create a lean-based production system or create a make-to-order OPF production system. We have proven methods to eliminate exposed changeover time through a comprehensive approach that includes innovative workholding systems, parametric CNC machine programs and a strategy to eliminate tool changes. Our process observation tool enables a powerful way to to observe and capture work elements, print these elements in visual map that provides the foundation for improvement and automatically generate standard work for each work station. PeopleFlo has also developed innovation capabilities – tailored to the factory floor – to help clients create their own production productivity breakthroughs based on their specific production context and conversion technologies.

Batch and queue with assemble-to-order strategy

Part family lean with assemble-to-order strategy

One-Product-Flow with make-to-order strategy

Production system comparison

quote Liker1

“I got acquainted with PeopleFlo first as an advisor on lean product development and later as a board member and part owner. The best way to define what PeopleFlo has accomplished is a holistic systems approach to innovation and lean value streams.”

Jeffrey K. Liker
Professor, University of Michigan and author of The Toyota Way